An Old Life
by Oceans and Stardust
Summary: "Finally, you can lift that thing?" Ikuto frowned when Zero laughed at him. "You haven't spoken to me, well, face to face in over five years, where have you been?" Zero gave him a small smile, "Hell and back, I just wanted to think some stuff over." Ikuto laughed and gave him some milk. "Like the old days?" Zero smiled at him, and Ikuto saw the pain. "Yeah, like the old days."
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Vampire Knight or Shugo Chara

Most of the stories do explore into dark themes, but hey there will be cursed words, I curse in a lot of my stories and it is freakin' Zero! I give warnings if there might be themes that would make an individual uncomfortable.

I'm really trying to avoid any couples, but if you guys like them or their interactions, run with it. On that note, please I do have gay couples from minor to majors and I don't know how that would be played out. So, if you are disturbed by gay couples, please just leave.

This might be considered AU, as there some changes.

This is Un-beta.

Chapter 1

Those Old Days

Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.-Khalil Gibran

"Zero, do you want to go back to Seiyo?" Kaien asked gently, he moved back when he saw Zero tensed at his suggestion. Kaien was very observant of Zero growing up, and he always noticed one thing.

"You, could meet him. There wouldn't be a problem with you leaving a couple months." Kaien flinched behind his desk as Zero glared at him. His lavender eyes slowly becoming purple at his growing rage.

Zero would write letters twice a month, never once missing the time to send it, and he has done this for the past five years.

"I don't know what you are talking about..." Zero sneered, but Kaien had to bite back a squeal. Zero wasn't angry, oh no, Zero was embarrassed. Ignoring the logical side of his brain telling him to back down from making Zero anymore mad, he jumped over to give him a hug.

"Oh, Zero-chan, there isn't-" It was then, did Kaien learn that an embarrassed Zero was slightly more dangerous than an angry Zero. He has to buy a new desk now.

Zero was looking around to find what else he could throw at the buffoon. On, the second thought, those animals have more brain mass than Kaien. He felt bad for insulating such creatures. He could still feel his cheeks burning. The damn bastard had to say such things like that. He made it sound like he was going to see his lover.

Zero tensed at that thought. He thought of Yuuki, but as quickly as she appeared, he pushed her out of his mind. Yuuki chose Kaname, even though she denies it, he hates seeing that want in her eyes. He also knows why Kaname sneers at him on a daily basis. He believes Yuuki loves Zero, but like Zero, Kaname wants her entire heart.

"She can't have us both..." Zero muttered and immediately got out his Bloody Rose when Kaien tried to edge closer to him. He placed his gun back into his holster when he felt that aura emitting off Kaien, the one he puts off to get even his Master to listen to him.

Zero hates, that he has that kind of power.

"I mean it Zero, for six months you can visit him. You can be an exchange student during the months of January or February. During December and January you could stay over there, and during the months of October, November, and March you could visit on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays." Zero mouth twitched and Kaien didn't miss the expression he made. Even if it was for a split second.

It was disgust.

"You are trying to get rid of me, aren't you?" Kaien stiffed, and if he wasn't using one of his old cards, his mouth would have dropped at that. Get rid of Zero? That's insanity!

"No! What would make you think that?!"

"I just had my first reaction in _years_ two weeks ago. I know those blood suckers didn't sense me, but that Pureblood did. Nothing gets by him." Kaien sank into his seat, putting his legs on his now broken in a half desk. This was the third desk this week, and the first two weren't from Zero _this time_. Of course, the reaction was bad, but Kaien knew Zero was losing to that monster inside of him. It would be a matter of time when the Hunter Association would order him to put a bullet in Zero's head or heart.

It would be a matter of time when Zero falls to a level E. Zero needs a stronger resolve, and this angst teenage bullshit, pardon his moodiness, was damaging Zero. If Kaien didn't make a promise to Yuuki's mother, he would have probably chopped Kaname's tongue out.

"Hey! Are you even listening?!" Zero growled making Kaien jump. _When did he get on top of the desk?_ Kaien thought, while checking his poor abused heart. "I-I'm sorry, but what was that Zero?" Zero gritted his teeth at that.

"Che, I was saying, who in hell will control me, when I lose it!"

"You won't Zero, you're stronger than that!"

"You know me! You know those who went through this! I _will_ lose control eventually!" Kaien rubbed his face and looked at Zero with sadden eyes and he really looked at Zero. He had puffy cheeks, sweat on his face, he looked paler and he somehow got off his uniform jacket. He was scared.

"Zero, why do want someone to watch over you? I thought you would be delighted at the chance of being away?" Kaien tighten his lips when Zero looked out the window. He had that same look when Kaien picked him from Headquarters, covered in a bloody mess.

Those haunting eyes.

"I don't want to taint the last precious thing I have. I want to believe in those old days," Zero stated, but looked back at Kaien who was croaking in laugher.

"Haha, Zero I don't think you are in any position to make that statement." He had tears coming out his eyes, but he stopped when he got no response from Zero. He was still looking at the window, watching the Day Class roaming around, before twilight struck.

"I think I'm in every position to state that."

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?!" Yagari was so close to finally choke the man into the next life. Was the man strong? Yes. Was he intelligent? Debatable. He looked over at Kaien hiding behind his tapped up desk , trembling in fear.

Highly debatable.

"I-I thought that it would be a good idea!" The man whined, and sometimes Yagari couldn't believe the man was older than him. When Zero told him of Kaien's suggestion he was highly skeptical about his motive. _Well to be honest Zero never told me why Kaien even made that suggestion,_ Yagari thought in frustration. Zero had no idea he was actually coming, but because of the buffoon, he got here earlier than planned.

God damn him.

"Any idea spewing from your lips is equivalent to horse shit, " Yagari countered and Kaien tried to calm down by rubbing his temples. The last thing he needed was a shouting match at this time of night.

The man just reminded him of an over puffed cat, trying to look intimidating, and was the man doing a good job of that. Kaien glanced out the window, as if he was expecting Zero to be there, but he saw some Day Class girls, he was sure one of his children will find them. He wants to save his strength for battling Kaname, no doubt the Night Class students would find giving Zero permission to enter another city as a view of favorism.

"I want him to find a reason to live,"

"So, by doing that you want to send him to a city that is a _city away_ from us, without being watched, as a way to find this reason?"

"Yagari, even you know what Kaname is playing at,"

"Everything he does and you do is all about that damn girl, when did you ever thought about doing something for Zero?" At this accusation Kaien immediately stood up. Rage clearly evident on his face, but Yagari held an equal look in his eyes.

"What I am doing here, right now, _is_ for _Zero's sake_! This has nothing to do with Yuuki or Kaname!" If possible Kaien's eyes narrowed further as Yagari gave out a bark of laughter. Clearly mocking him.

"This has everything to do with those two. I don't know their relationship, but obviously you don't want to admit you fucked up. You fucked up and Kaname is exploiting that and that girl too without realizing it," Yagari marched over to Kaien and he backed up trying to put some distance between himself and Yagari. Kaien keeps forgetting how violent Yagari could be when protecting something he cares about.

"So by sending him away, you hope to banish or lessen those fucking thoughts swarming in my student's head! Thoughts and emotions that were direct consequences from your actions!"

"I want him to see that not everything he does is for Yuuki's sake, the Hunter Association's sake, or, so help me, it not part of Kaname's plan. That he has some free will over this," Kaien tried to state calmly, but anger kept leaking out of his voice, making his argument jagged sounding. Yagari seemed to honed down on that as he countered back, "But it is too late!"

"I do not follow your logic, Yagari-san,"

"The boy knows he doesn't have a free will. He knows he can't make a move without it revolving around those _things_. They've already broken him, and had you just let me take him-"

"How would that been any different?!" Yagari scoffed at that, and sat on one of Kaien's chairs, ignoring the growing scowl on his face.

"He would have been away from those blood suckers, he wouldn't be reminded every damn day of what he will turn into and be considered less than,"

"Yagari, I understand you care about Zero, but this the best for him," Yagari growled and Kaien immediately went towards the window, there was a growing chance he might have to throw him out of it.

"_How?_ And why now? Everything you did, was intended to help Zero, but in the same time it was still for those two. Sometimes, I wish if maybe, you considered the consequences not on that girl's part, but the boy's part too. Just on the boy's part. Maybe he wouldn't have to feel like a dying weapon." Kaien's eyes soften at that. He keeps forgetting that Yagari raised Zero too, seeing the pain in his student's eyes was a constant reminder of how he failed in protecting Zero from that pain.

"Yagari, this just for Zero, for him to find that human side of him. To realize that side hasn't died yet and maybe encourage him to live,"

"That's not answering my question, _Headmaster_, I get that, but that's not explaining the timing or why he's going to a certain city." Yagari watched in confusion as Kaien walked past him to one of his closest, he has in the back. Kaien entered the old tattered closet, he keeps forgetting to have it refurnished, but maybe, it was better this way. Zero wouldn't come in here.

Yagari wasn't sure if he should help Kaien who was struggling to reach a box, that was under extreme lock and key. Before he could offer some help, the box fell on top of Kaien's head. Kaien hissed at the stinging sensation blasting on top of his head, but he grabbed the box and dropped it on Yagari's lap, who immediately opened it to find a stack of copied papers.

"What are these?"

"Letters..." Yagari skimmed through them, a feeling started to erupt in his stomach. He was going to kill this man, by the end of the week. He was sure of it.

"Written by, and to whom?"

"Zero wrote these, and I traced the oldest letters, which was copied by his father, but recent ones were by me in case these were ever needed," he pointed at the documents, smiling at Yagari who was trying to hide the smile of Zero's improving writing. "He wrote these to a childhood friend, and has been for five years."

Actually, he might kill him by tomorrow.

"Two questions. One, what do these have anything to do with what we are talking about, and two does Zero know you are invading his privacy and probably broke a couple of his rights?" Yagari pinch the bridge of his noise when Kaien immediately looked away.

This insane man.

"Well, he doesn't know, but hear me out!" Yagari could only sigh at this man's antics. "He writes two letters, twice a month. That's 24 letters in a year, and have done it for five years, meaning he was written over 120 letters, to a childhood friend. I took these in case, Zero need to be reminded there are people who care about him!"

Yagari couldn't decide if he should rip out his hair out, or rip out Kaien's tongue.

"So, you are sending him to Seiyo to visit this friend, but why now Kaien? Stop avoiding the damn question!" he growled at the man, who hanged his head down.

"He had an attack," Kaien watched as Yagari closed his eyes. The anger swarming around the man left, but a cold look appeared in his eyes when he looked at the grown, he then pulled his hat to cover his eyes. Yagari knew.

"And he's becoming increasingly suicidal," Yagari breathed out deeply as he looked at Kaien in the eye. He looked so tired, and he seemed done with this talk.

"My worst fear for Zero, is for him to be consume by his grief, his wants, or his regrets, or maybe all of them. It always worse, when something dies in a person while they are alive," Yagari took a drink that Kaien left out for him when he entered to the room. It became stale, as it was long forgotten, and his throat became horse from his yelling match.

"That's why," Kaien began while pouring another round of vodka for the two of them, "I want him to see his friend as much as he can. To find something, other than the sadness he is being consumed by for searching for reasons and hopes to keep him sane. Hopefully, he can see that human part of him, hasn't died and it can outlive that curse."

Yagari shook his head. "Curse, huh? Maybe that's why hope was at the bottom of Pandora's Box, it can be just as painful." Kaien moved the paper, but Yagari stopped him.

"Do you know the boy he's going to visit?"

"Honestly, no, all I know is he is not part of the Hunter Association." Nodding at him, Yagari let Kaien take the papers away, without looking back Kaien questioned him.

"Do you know him?"

At the moment a flash of a blue hair boy crying as he hugged Zero the day he was moving away from Seiyo flashed through him mind. It was the first time he met a friend of Zero, one that Ichiru didn't mind being with his brother, but from what he remembered he was crying as he was saying goodbye to two blonde children.

"Not personally. Meet the boy once, Zero kept saying how he'll miss Neko."

"Neko?"

"Yeah, that's what he'd called him. Saying he loves milk and fish, he told me how he liked tugging his ears because they were sensitive." he waved his hand dismissively.

"I'll have one agent watch Zero in case, he has an attack. The last thing I need, is him killing someone."

"Yagari..."

"You can't sugarcoat everything, Kaien," Yagari got up from his seat and pushed the box in place for Kaien, who was struggling to put it back. Kaien frowned at that statement.

"I can try,"

"You can't try forever."

Huffing, Kaien motioned him over to another cabinet, full of different type of beverages. Yagari grabbed some wine, and looked over at Kaien.

"How's the bloodsuckers going to deal with Zero's permission to leave to a city?"

"My guess, not good." Laughing Yagari threw two wine glasses at Kaien who caught it effortlessly. They looked at the window at two Day Class girls who were running away, crying. Zero appeared with a nasty scowl on his face, making Kaien chuckle.

Zero needs a break.

Yagari on the other hand frowned at the girls. They were going to get themselves killed one day, but what can he say about that?

"Well, those bloodsuckers deserve it. They are only here to obey to that bastard Pureblood, no doubt they would stir trouble in the cities, no doubt." Kaien took a sip of wine, frowning as it had an extremely bitter taste.

"Maybe." Going back to sit down at his destroyed desk, Kaien, frustrated, ran a hand through his hair.

"You want me to handle this with you?"

"Showing the Hunter Association's support?"

"Support? You want me to fake that?" Kaien pouted at that.

"I've done that for you!"

"For, Pete's sake! Fine, when is Zero going to visit his friend?" Kaien, disturbingly, switched to a happy mood and took out a calendar.

"Probably Saturday or Sunday." Kaien drank his wine happily, ignoring the taste when Yagari looked up at the ceiling. He won, this round.

"Remember Kaien, give a man a desire and he is victimized by it, but give a man an illusion and he's enslaved by it. Don't let Zero be consumed by the need to go back to those old happy days,"

Kaien was sure it was the wine, the bitter taste came back full force.

Zero wouldn't be consumed, he was sure of that.

* * *

"Just call him, what's the worse he could do?" Zero was going to tear his hair out. He has written to Neko for five years, when they were both 12, he hasn't _talked_ to him in over five years. Actually, he hasn't talked to any of them at all.

"Be a bitch, and complain for ten hours of not taking to him? Wait, is this even still his number?" tired of mumbling to himself, Zero put in the damn numbers.

If no one answered, or it was disconnected, or not even his number anymore, he tried. Maybe then, Kaien will get off his back. He still needs to integrate him in how he found out about his letters to Neko, he was probably not going to like that answer.

"Hello?" It was a woman's voice, was it...

"Utau?"

"Who is this?" Wow, did she become unfriendly, well they haven't spoken since she was 10 years old.

"Zero Kiryu." Zero, heard a beeping sound on his end.

"Did she just hang up on me?" Putting the phone back on his ear, he heard the same beeping noise. She did! Redialing, the phone was picked up, quickly, this time.

"Zero-kun! Is it really you?" Maybe he should have called more often, she sounded like she was going to cry.

"Yeah, it's me. Can you put your brother on the phone? I have to talk to him."

"Sure!" He could hear, Utau shouting for her brother, and he walking around the house. He heard shouting and a violin playing, but then stopped abruptly.

_Oh, he still plays that thing, wonder is he got better,_ Zero thought as he remembered Neko struggling to play the violin when he first got it. They were five or six if he remembered correctly, when Neko got his own violin.

"Hello?"

"Hey Neko, or do you like being call Ikuto, now?"

* * *

Clichés all around! Not. Trying to avoid the typical Ikuto going to Zero's school instead. Reason later explained, and yes I explained earlier that this might be considered AU. As not all the plot is followed.

Tell me how I did, I'm playing to continue this, but I'm working on another story, so it will be uploaded after I upload the other story I'm working on right now.

Review, please, having any questions I'll respond to it.


	2. Chapter 2

Same warnings. Dark themes, cursing, hating the sexuality of either minor to major characters (which I may not due in this story) then I recommend you leave.

If I mention any characters from other shows or books or whatever I obviously don't own them and most likely (99.9%) those characters will never appear in the story.

Tons of cursing in this chapter.

I don't own Shugo Chara or Vampire Knight.

Chapter Two

Trains

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit

-Albert Schweitzer

Blue eyes kept darting around the station for the tenth time this night. It was unnerving, waiting here at this hour, seeing so many people run down from their jobs only to go home or fool around afterwards. The children looked so sleepy, the teenagers stalked around the areas as if they ruled the night, and the adults looked irritated and too exhausted to honestly give a fuck, unless provoked.

Ikuto kept frowning at the walks of life moving in front and around him. That's what he hates about adulthood, it felt as if the people's happiness, their dreams, or even their inner child was dying. The fakeness was haunting and it looked too overbearing to deal with, but alas he is 17 years old.

In a year, he would be thrust to such a world. One that, has shun and no doubt, would devour him. He kept glancing at his watch, refusing to join the rest of humanity that has lost its ability to tell a clock and are now devoted to a digital one, he glanced at his roman numeral clock for the tenth time. Call him a hipster, if you will, but that's a need of him. One that kept him close to his father.

_What am I doing here?_ He sassed himself, only to yell back at himself, mentally, in irritation. _Picking up Snow, and of course he's late._ His frown kept growing sour, as the minutes passed him like a summer's breeze. Hell, his frown had gone so bad, Ikuto would normally like to tease girls-and the occasional guy-who were attracted to his odd features, but instead he was scowling at anyone who approached him. He probably scared away more girls than Snow gloated in his letters.

The mere thought of Snow, scarring away women and men made the frown vanish for a moment, but instead of anger, the frown morphed into sadness. What had changed, a gentle and friendly soul like Snow into a person to be feared? Shaking away the thoughts, Ikuto felt a vibration coming from his left pocket, he was glad he decided not to wear skinny jeans, Snow would've had to much fun from his appearance alone.

_Sorry. The train got delayed, somehow, people were saying some man in a duck costume was walking around on the tracks. We were sitting here, on this fucking train, for an HOUR! We might as well ran the fucker over, if it was going to cause a delay this large! I'll be there in ten minutes.-Zero_

Ikuto gave out a bark of laughter. It caught himself so unguarded, that even Yoru woke up for a moment and smacked Ikuto in the forehead. The cat was too sleepy to care and went back to sleep but Ikuto could hear him grumbling about having to stay out so late, for a "stupid" friend. Ikuto wondered for a moment if Zero or Snow as he liked to call him, could see Yoru. It would be so sad, for him at least, if he couldn't. But if he did, no doubt he would either love him or drown him by either using water or milk. Realizing how stupid he looked from having his phone out with what he could imagine, one of the most stupidest smiles on his face, he hurried to reply back.

_Well, some ass could have told, his possibly only friend, that the train was delayed. So maybe he wouldn't have to be out here, in the cold, alone, hungry, and he could have, who knows, gone out to get something for himself and said friend.-Ikuto_

Not a second later did Ikuto received another message, and found himself in a text war, so to speak.

_Don't whine. Plus, you like messing with girls, and the poor confused guy, which I keep forgetting to write in my letters, you are a dick for doing that sir, so I doubt you are lonely.-Zero_

_HA! Is that how you see it? Excuse me, but evolution stated very clearly for me to work my stuff-Ikuto_

_Oh, for the love of...you did not just write to me, work my stuff. I didn't realized you became a whore-Zero_

_Oh! I'm the whore? PLEASE. I know very well you do it too!-Ikuto_

_Hell no. If you came to my school, you would have yourself neutered from the girls' behavior over there.-Zero_

_I don't know what your talking about-Ikuto_

_*YOU'RE, write in correct grammar, you uneducated piece of shit!-Zero_

_I completely forgot you hate it when people write incorrectly when writing in text.-Ikuto_

_Neko! You better fucking not! I'm fucking warning you!-Zero_

_I liek hatzz u due tha Snw. Y u do is? Huh? No liek me? No liek when I due is? Hatz gtta stahp...-Ikuto_

_I know some of my brain cells just killed themselves, from reading that. Fuck you, you bitch.-Zero_

_#Hatzz #IknowyouhatethisbutasaBITCHImustandamenjoyingthis #Y u do is? #Plz stahp-Ikuto_

_NOT THE FUCKING HASTAGS! FUCK, IT IS CALLED SPACES IKUTO! DID YOU LOSE BRAIN CELLS WHEN WE SPERATED?-Zero_

_I believe I gained some intelligence in areas that you lack in-Ikuto_

_You know what's worst?-Zero_

_Try me. #FIGHT ME BRO-Ikuto_

_I keep reading this and I keep imagining your fucking still hasn't gone through puberty voice! All I hear is a drunk as kid, who sounds 11, could pass as a girl, and talks like that!-Zero_

_We spoke two days ago!-Ikuto_

_Well, I'm so sorry, you asshole! Your voice does NOT connect with the image I still have of you! It's not registering!-Zero_

_This is why I'm saying we should send selfies to one another!-Ikuto_

_No! Fuck off! Do that and I'm slamming this phone into the people who are staring at me! I have to physically see you!-Zero_

_Zero, look. If you really think I'm some whore there's nothing to worry about. But this suspense is killing me!-Ikuto_

_Oh, listen here you, I get to decide that! Well then you better choke out like a bitch, if that's what it takes :P-Zero_

_Christ. Don't you have those cute images instead of the text ones?-Ikuto_

_Also, I wouldn't feel this suspense had someone gave me warning about the train being delayed, and I could have gotten some food!-Ikuto_

_No, you hipster. I never texted anyone before, until now, so why would I get that?-Zero_

_HOW IS THAT MY FAULT! Do you know how freaked out I was? I thought the world was ending!-Zero_

_Now u are being over dramatic-Ikuto_

_Don't start with me! This lady here went into hysterics! Just listening to her freak out almost made me jump out the damn window!-Zero_

_Wow, what the fuck happened?-Ikuto_

_I don't know! Me and some other guys had her sit down and have her breath through a paper bag to calm her down, then she started screaming!-Zero_

Ikuto could only smile, it was far too much fun messing with Zero. He missed it, he missed running around Zero teasing him, he missed making fun of him, he missed having Ichiru take his side in arguments, and having the twins help babysit the young ones. He missed it, and Ikuto couldn't describe the emotions he felt when he found out they were moving away.

As a child, he felt his whole world was slipping away from his grasp. Ikuto realized he was going to be alone, and even though Zero wrote to him, almost religiously, for the past five years the pain was still there. Simply, talking a person was nice but it was far more different _being _with another individual, hearing them laugh, hearing them cry, hearing their dreams, and hearing their wishes.

Ikuto knew, he and Zero were never given the chance to experience those emotions or experiences with one another, and they both went through unexplainable hardships. Ikuto knew Zero did, just from the sound of his voice and the sadness radiating not only from Zero, but Yoru too, after the cat heard Zero for a moment.

Ikuto merely glanced at his phone for one last time, with Zero informing him he has to help the woman. _Leave it up to him to care for strangers..._Ikuto thought with a smile in his mind. Zero was always the type of person who would help others, even if he hated their ever loving guts. Ikuto wouldn't doubt Zero would help even his worst enemy, to some degree at least.

Sending a final text of, "Alright," Ikuto relaxed in his spot once more. He listened to the sounds of the city once more, engulf by the laughter it held and the sadness. He felt calm and happy, something he hasn't felt in a long time, not even when he thought he found the egg.

He grimaced at the thought of it. Zero is still a kind soul, but a protective one at that. No doubt Zero would be extremely concern or mad (or maybe both) if he finds out about Ikuto's situation, and Ikuto isn't sure himself if he could be able to hide the egg, or even fucking Easter from Zero. Also, his "teasing" with certain individuals will, no doubt, cause the poor silver hair boy to enter into a violent outburst. He is so sure of the anger, Ikuto is already prepare for it, and is prepared to ignore it.

Moving a hand through his unnatural blue hair, he tugged onto his black jacket and covered himself. He tossed Yoru into his hood, but the creature was too far into his sleep, to actually care, all he let out was a small whine, and went back to purring. His blue eyes became distant as he started to think, for a moment if he should have worn one bright color clothing so it would have been easier for Zero to find him, his dark attire did well in blending with the night, but he moved to thinking about a certain day.

The day he first met Zero. So lost in the memory, he became engulf by it.

* * *

In Japanese society, or like many other non-western societies, the sake of the group is put over the sake of an individual. However, like all cultures there is discrimination no matter how much an individual highlights the greatness of one culture.

Unfortunately for Ikuto, he experienced that discrimination too early in his life. He was not like the other children, he didn't have brown hair or black hair. He also didn't have brown hair or almost black like eyes.

He had blue. _Everything _was and is blue. Blue hair, blue eyes, blue eyelashes, blue something that shouldn't have been blue. He was glad it wasn't a vibrant blue, but the color, even when looking black at times, was apparently too bright for the children.

He was mocked, and can called an abomination. Oh, whenever he remembered those times he can only laugh when those same girls that would pour milk on his head when they were young, because the boys they like did it to him, lust for him now. Oh, how he laughs when those same boys, who made his life miserable when they were young, try to work their ways to be in his graces.

What had been an atrocity to the children, became an exotic feature to them once the hormones kicked in as their bodies changed, Ikuto almost became something of beauty but Ikuto saw the ugliness. He still remembers the hate in their eyes, but he also saw the confusion too. He didn't hate all the children, some were forced to hate him or bully him, and others were intrigued but knew they would suffer at the hands of those who tormented him daily, so they left him alone.

What was worse, this was going on for three weeks when he first entered elementary school.

It was an odd school, he was placed into. They had one teacher, who would alternate at times with the local college students, her name was Moriko, or as they called her Moriko-Sensei. She entering her 40's when Ikuto was enrolled, and she was kind, but sometimes Ikuto found maybe she was misguided. She may had the belief that all children were good in their hearts, but Ikuto was quick to find out this was not so.

Out of the 24 children, who Ikuto shared the class with, around 10 of them bullied him. Out of those 10, only 3 actually meant what they did and provoked the others into following their leads. It was horrible, and may times Ikuto would like to forget he felt such anguish from such silliness, as they aren't punches, but he couldn't deny how they used words and milk throwing like knives.

They threw milk at him due to his abnormal love of it.

Yet, by the third week the class was no longer 24 students, the class became 25 students. Out of his friends, Ikuto cannot remember the specific details of how he became friends, with those he knew in middle school and high school, or why they were even friends in the first place .

However, even if he tried, the memory of how he became friends with Zero will be part of him.

It was another bad day, Ikuto had to run to his bag to pull out another set of pants, as the kids through milk at his pants, again. The last thing he wanted was for Moriko-Sensei to think he'd wet himself again, which he didn't do the first time, or the second time, or the times after that. The embarrassment was too strong, but the humiliation that he was doing what they wanted him to do was just as great. If Ikuto remembered correctly, he was crying, but he couldn't decide if that was just his memory being too blurry from how long ago it was.

Ikuto could remember the embarrassment, and he could still hear those bastards laughing in the corner as he marched up to his seat. He always wondered if Moriko-Sensei knew or was just that oblivious. Going back, Ikuto sat alone despite how even the class was. The trio that made his first weeks of school hell, and demanded to stay together. Moriko-Sensei permitted this, but in that case it was to Ikuto's favor as well, as he didn't have to breath the same air as some of his tormentors.

"Class," she began, "we have a new student, so please, be nice to him." Moriko-Sensei asked.

"Yes, Moriko-Sensei." The children responded in unison, but Ikuto couldn't help but glare at the some of those who giggled or had a pitch too high for his liking when they said this. "Please be nice," as if those words were even true.

She slid the door open and a single boy entered, and Ikuto's mind entered into a meltdown. The boy wasn't blue like him, but he was silver and purple! He had silver hair, silver eyes lashes, and his eyes were like lavender, but as Ikuto got to know the boy better those eyes would become a light shade of purple!

There was another freak! Ikuto sometimes felt guilty in thinking that as a child, but he could clearly remember seeing that phrase in the children's eyes as well. So did the boys, they had the same look as well.

But there was a difference...

"This is Kiryu Zero, and he will join us for the rest of year. Kiryu-kun these are your classmates, and I'm Moriko-Sensei, I'll be your teacher for now on." She said. The boy, or Kiryu, as he was called, simply smiled, and kept it though Ikuto could see that the boy wasn't stupid. Oh no, he wasn't. Ikuto could already see Kiryu's gaze met with the demonic trio, the boy already knew how he would be treated by how he simply smiled at the sneers he received.

"You may sit by Tsukiyomi-kun," She paused and looked at Ikuto for a moment before smiling. "Tsukiyomi-kun may you stand up?" He stood up, cautiously, as he heard the boys snickering.

Zero bowed, and walked up _slowly_. It was almost creepy, as Zero kept his eyes on the boys all the time, until they became startled and finally closed their mouths and looked away. Once he terrified the boys, Zero turned around and walked normally up to Ikuto. They just started at each other for a while, until Zero waved at him.

...they were afraid of him...

"I'm Kiryu Zero."

"I'm Tsukiyomi Ikuto." It was a very awkward exchange, but Zero didn't seem to mind Ikuto's blueness, while in turn Ikuto didn't mind Zero's whiteness and dash of purple. Sensing this, Zero smiled and sat right next to him. Ikuto at the time didn't realize how much of an impact Zero would have on him as they grew up.

Zero and Ikuto stuck to each other like glue. The other children wanted nothing to do with them, leaving the two alone. That was when Ikuto learned Zero was a bit angry for being put here, not for being stuck with the children, but because his twin brother was put in another school for his illness.

"Well, I'm glad you're here,"

"Why?" Zero sneered as the trio of boys kept glancing at them. Zero's eyes flickered to Ikuto who looked away, and back to the boys. Iktuo watched in wonder as a moment of realization flashed in Zero's now tuning purple eyes."They're mean to you?"

Giving a crooked smile, Ikuto shrugged at it, Zero took it as a yes.

"How are they mean to you?"

"They just call me names..."

"And?"

"They throw food at me..." It was at this did Ikuto's voice started to hitch and tears were forming in his eyes. Ikuto always hated hearing their snickers as they would dump a bucket of milk on him, grab his clothes or shoes when he wasn't looking and soaking them to a point they had become unusable, stealing his items and ripping them in front of him, and on extreme occasions throw paint at him, black paint, in order to make him "normal" again.

The memories were too much and Ikuto was not used to people like this. All he knew were the lessons his mother gave him, his musical lessons from his father, and taking care of the young ones. Not this, anything but this. He was so lonely, all the bottled up emotions were erupting before Zero's eyes and before Ikuto knew what he was doing. Zero, being an experience older brother and was used to his younger brother crying, held on to Ikuto as he started to cry.

"T-they t-t-throw milk a-at me!" Zero shook his head and was slightly alarmed when he notice the three boys were gone. Zero knew there was something else but as a child he didn't of anything more those kids could have done to Ikuto, that was until he got older.

"Why didn't you tell the teacher?"

"Because-" Before Ikuto could explain, both of them were assaulted by water balloons that pelted them from above. Zero ran, dragging Ikuto behind him a tree, trying to get off the liquid, until, Zero realized it wasn't water. It was milk.

"That's it!" Zero roared as he began hurling different items, whatever he could grab really, at the boys. Ikuto hated this part, all he could remember was covering his eyes, keeping his head down, and pulled his knees to his face as a way to make himself invisible. While Zero, who was risking at getting trouble, on his first day no doubt, was being what Ikuto wanted to do for a long time now.

Being brave.

What felt like an eternity ended, as Ikuto looked up to find Zero soaked to the bone by the milk. He didn't seem bothered by this as Zero merely looked at Ikuto and gave him a smile.

"You're okay, now." Such a simple phrase gave him a long life friend.

* * *

"So, how much are you worth? 100? 150? 200?" A gruff voice ripped Ikuto from his memory. Narrowing his eyes, he tried breathing in and out to calm down.

_Don't kill the man, don't kill the man..._He chanted in his head. This was the third time this had happened, but unlike the first two times, this man didn't sound _that old. _He sounded quite young, actually.

"Sir," Ikuto started without turning around, he was looking at the crowd that was running from the train, that finally fucking came. "I am a 17 year old _male_, I'm not a hooker, and for the final time-"

A bark of laughter interrupted Ikuto as he turned around, and looked at a silver hair individual laughing at him. He clenched his stomach, and tears were rolling out his eyes, as if the man hadn't cried _for years_.

"You are not telling me, this has happened before!" Zero gave out an exaggerated, mocking, "huh" at Ikuto. The poor boy, was so in shock at seeing his friend in the flesh he was still trying to process what was before him.

Zero, was no longer the short boy he knew. Ikuto remembered clearly when Zero helped him the first day he found he was a bit taller than Zero, not by much but enough to ruffle the other boy's feathers. Zero was the exact same height as him, maybe a bit taller by a few centimeters. He wasn't skinny like him anymore, he was tall and lean, a body that told others he is ready to take on a fight. Ikuto could see the years had chiseled away at Zero's boyish features, and left behind an attractive man, despite Ikuto need to blink as he saw the same face he met as a child smiling at him.

He wondered if it was the same on Zero's part. Had he looked any different to Zero? Ikuto knew he wasn't scrawny or self-conscious around Zero, it simply caught him off guard as he began to notice little features. Comparing one another, it was obvious the boys were bred for speed, but an individual could tell Zero is capable of breaking down a door, while Ikuto isn't. However, what bothered him was the little features. How Zero's mouth twitched as if he hasn't smiled or felt so relaxed in years, or truly relaxed, Ikuto has seen that face on himself at times. Both boys, preferred dark clothing but Zero seemed more rebellious and yet open in nature. His pieces of earrings seemed to shout, "Fuck you," as he noticed the three that adorned the top of his left ear, and the two that adorned the bottom of his right ear. They were odd, they held designs he had never seen before, but his eyes landed on the tattoo on Zero's neck.

That tattoo screamed a real," _Fuck you,"_ and a "Help me," thrown in the mix. As if noticing, or maybe he did notice, Zero pulled up his black jacket, covering the marking. Everything about him was black, his jacket that covered almost his entire body, his dark blue jeans, his dark red shirt that peeped every now and then during their little staring contest. The only thing that stuck out was Zero's silver hair, and his lavender eyes that shown and sparkle to Ikuto still, but he could see they have dimmed somewhat.

Ikuto on the other hand, might have well tried to blend in with the shadows. His dark blue hair and eyes did nothing to light up his features like Zero's. His black jacket didn't devour him, but his black jeans made it so it did. Yoru, who Zero sadly didn't seem to hear, was snoring in the back, and Ikuto kept grabbing down as if to find his violin there. It felt wrong not having it with him.

"Is the staring contest over?" Zero teased.

"What?" Ikuto asked confused. He paused until he noticed, what Zero was referring to. "Oh, shut it."

"What surprised?"

"Yeah. You _finally fucking grew!_" Ikuto openly mocked in front of Zero, making the silver hair man wave dismissively at him.

"Mad I got taller than you?"

"You are exactly my height."

"Oh really?" Zero stepped closer to Ikuto, and measured himself to him. Far away anyone would guess the two are the same height, but they knew differently.

"Yeah, go fuck yourself!" Ikuto growled, as Zero _is_ a few centimeters taller than him. All those years of teasing were coming to bite him in the ass.

"I must decline." Zero snorted at Ikuto. Zero bent down to grab his belongings and to further irritate Ikuto, he swung it over his head.

"Nice."

"Shut up." Zero ordered, he then looked at Ikuto in the eye. Both had the most sternest expression on their faces, it made bystanders either flee the scene, or those onlookers who were enjoying the reunion-for highly different reasons-tried to make sense of what had just happened. The boys, however, were waiting for the first to crack.

They stared, feeling their face turn into stone, until Zero's eye twitched.

"You lost, you bastard!" Ikuto shouted in joy as he erupted into joy. All thoughts of how he could acts so free and that he may seem like another creature to those he knew vanished from his mind, as Zero pouted.

"Oh, shut it." Zero whined, but Ikuto just patted his back. Zero gave a small smile, before opening his arms and gave him a look as if he was asking Ikuto permission for a hug.

_This stupid idiot_ Ikuto smiled in his thought as he leaned into the hug. He felt so relaxed, as if an unknown burden was taken of his shoulders. However, something was still nagging him.

"Yeah, voice and face needs some time to get used to," Ikuto jested, but a haunting look entered Zero's eyes for a moment, as he pulled his head out of Ikuto's shoulder to look at him. It vanished, but it made Ikuto feel sick.

"Yeah, yours too." Zero answered. Short and precise. It was then did Ikuto realized what felt wrong, the same amount of wrong of not having his violin with him.

"Where's Ichiru?" Ikuto simply questioned. He felt Zero stiff in the hug, and pulled away quickly from him. As if Ikuto threw hot water to him, he refused to look at him the eye, head bent down to the ground as if he committed one of the greatest crimes in humanity. The shame and guilt was over powerful.

Ikuto could only stare in worry, until he looked over at Yoru who woke up during the meeting to find him shaking in fear.

"I-Ikuto, t-t-t-that g-guy..." Yoru tried to speak, but fear gripped him to the point he hid in Ikuto's hood once more. Turning his eye back to Zero, he found Zero giving him a painful and pleading look, asking him if they could talk about this later.

"Ugh," At a loss of words, Zero realized the awkwardness he put Ikuto in. It wasn't his fault, Zero never told Ikuto the truth, but it still hurts thinking about it, he will tell him eventually, but Zero wants to feel _human_, actually he doesn't know what to feel. He just knows he isn't ready for this talk, at least for now until he can tell Ikuto the truth.

"Sorry, I just recalled something..." Ikuto leaned in as if encouraging him to continue. "Bad. Can we just go now?" Zero asked politely, and Ikuto had the greatest urge to agree, to make Zero at least stop having that look in his eyes. "After all, I get pretty cranky in the morning."

"Oh, that's great, maybe I can place you in Utau's room."

"Do that Neko and I swear-"

"But _Snow_, it only natural that two fires will cancel each other out!"

"Did you really lose brain cells after texting like a fucktard? That'll cause a bigger fire!"

"Hey as long as _I_ get sleep." Ikuto smiled, glad the mood change but the nagging feeling was still growing. Yoru also didn't stop shacking.

"Lead the way, Queen," Zero said, but Ikuto threw money at him.

"What's this?"

"An act for forgiveness. Buy this queen food, peasant! There's a late out food stand around the corner." Zero stuck out his tongue, and was mattering something, most likely mocking him, as he went to get food.

Standing, Ikuto tapped the back of his hood to signal Yoru it was alright to come out.

"What's wrong?" Yoru continue to shake at Ikuto's question and kept glancing at the direction Zero just left in.

"T-that guy, h-he-" A loud noise came for behind, preventing Ikuto to here. He looked behind to find the noise was caused by a train, most likely the one with the delayed issues. Annoyed he turned to Yoru who ran back, or flew, into his hood. Ikuto looked up to see Zero waving a meal he ordered in the air, as if he blessing the air around.

"We'll talk about this later." Ikuto promised, and he felt movement in the back. He wasn't sure if that was a yes or from fear.

"Ikuto! Hurry up, you're slower than Kyoko when she's trying to get away from Shotaro's fangirls!"

"Shut the hell up!" He marched up to Zero and grabbed the meal. He took a bite of the sandwich Zero bought and tossed the other one to Zero. Sitting together, Ikuto kept glancing at Zero as he ate, too early to eat in two in the morning.

_What happened to you, Zero?_ Ikuto kept asking himself. Hoping that if he tried hard enough Zero will respond back, but the man kept on eating. Zero suddenly turned around and pointed at the trains.

"We still need to put you on those,"

"Hush, I don't have a reason to ride them,"

Zero laughed and drank some water. "Well, you do now, you can visit me."

"Yeah, go to a school, that's a city away, full of kids who apparently, from what you told me, can turn other students to fans," Zero raised an eyebrow at that. "No, wait zombies." Zero smiled at that.

"And force you to question your sexuality." Zero laughed at that statement.

It felt so nice talking to Zero. It was as if they have been talking to each other, like this, for 5 years. As if they weren't separated, it was these moments did Ikuto felt everything would be okay. When he can let go and let that warmth he gets when reading Zero's letters swarm to the far reaches of his body and mind.

He felt happy, but like the skeletons in their closets it will take to time to be truly be open.

He smiled at Zero, and went back to eat. He really hopes this will end well.

o0o0o0

1) #I know you hate this but as a Bitch I and am enjoying this.

2) Kyoko and Shotaro are from Skip Beat.

3) If they seem OOC I'm sorry, but I was trying to find a way to show a different side of these two if they had a friends they could lean on and known for years other than the ones they know.

4) I will update late so guess once a month.

So I'm sorry for being late, love those who reviewed, alerted, and favorite this story. Yeah, some adult themes will be explored but I always wanted to write a story for these two. Not sure why these two exploded lately, but I wanted one Ikuto doesn't go Zero's school, Zero is a bitch or Ikuto, and they act immediately submissively to the other. Oh, yeah, and someone else acts like an asshole Yuuki, Kuran, or sometimes Amu. Not my cup of tea, I like build up.

Oh yeah, I'm going to tease the fuck out of Amu's relationship with Ikuto. For two reasons! One, yeah it's a young girls dream to be noticed and like by the hot attractive older guy, not me I gagged at the image I just want to read and write, so yeah it's understandable for Amu, but she _is a fucking kid_. That leads to number two, Ikuto is 17 in the manga and Amu is 11, Ikuto understands the world more than Amu and I always felt it wasn't Amu he loved, but the innocence, purity, and character he desires and lost, not Amu herself, but what she symbolizes.

So of course, I would imagine Zero going ape shit on Ikuto, but that will be dealt in later chapters. So please, I beg of you, I'm not trying to be offensive and in case you will be uncomfortable for this I will put a note stating: The note I promised at the bottom of chapter two. Don't understand, then please go back and read it.

So enough of my bullshit, message me or write a comment. Tell me what you feel and if you're confused or you want to explain something. Bye!


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